Employer choice - threat or opportunity?
Laura Overton - Towards Maturity CIC

Employer’s are demanding more flexible, convenient relevant and accessible learning, they are also being empowered to influence how and where learning funding is directed.

Is this increased choice a threat to learning providers or is it an opportunity to engage more powerfully with employers as a trusted partner?

To what extent do our existing delivery models help or hinder us?

What do we need to do today to become a next generation learning provider?

This interactive workshop will look at evidence from the world of work to help learning providers to position themselves as a partner of choice.

An Inside Perspective
Denise Turner - A4e

The workshop will focus on delivery of learning and skills within different custodial settings; the purpose of learning and skills delivery in a prison environment, partnership working, the range of learning and training options available, the role of the LSC, opportunities for progression and accreditation, preparation for release and sustained employment and/or training on release, Quality Assurance and Improvement

The Business Impact on Providers
Dean Williams & Mike Coulson - MIAP

Managing Information Across Partners (MIAP) is a government-funded programme seeking to improve the sharing of information across the education sector. It has recently introduced the Learner Registration Service and Unique Learner Number within the sector. It is also looking to enhance the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP) and introduce the Learner Record in the near future. This workshop willbegin with an overview of MIAP. It will then explore the ‘business impact’ on the provider community’s use of MIAP services and products.

Train to Gain Update
Glenn Robinson - Learning and Skills Council National Office

The workshop will provide an update on the Train to Gain service including the transfer of the skills brokerage service to Regional Development Agencies. There will be an opportunity for delegates to ask questions and discuss issues.  For further information on Train to Gain, visit www.traintogain.gov.uk

Revised Jobseekers Regime and Flexible New Deal
Jacqueline Chivers & Carl Jarvis - WWEG Delivery Directorate, DWP

On 2 January 2008, the Government announced exciting new plans for transforming Britain’s labour market and this includes the introduction of a more flexible New Deal.

This is a fundamental part of the Government’s wider welfare reform and will underpin the principles of working towards eradicating child poverty by 2020. The flexible New Deal will replace the current New Deal 18 – 24 and 25+ and Employment Zones programmes.

It will provide an inspiring opportunity for Prime Contractor organisations from the private, public and third sectors to work together in partnership to deliver this new programme across all Jobcentre Plus districts from Autumn 2009.

The workshop will provide a presentation walk through of the changes to the customer experience.

Supporting Providers for Vocational Qualification Reform
Paul Marijetic - LSN delivering on behalf of LSIS

This workshop will inform how the Qualification Reform Support Programme (QRSP) is raising awareness of the reforms and supporting providers to meet the challenges and maximise the benefits of the Vocational Qualification Reform Programme. It will look at the resources that have been developed and explore the future programme of support and how providers can access it to prepare them for the change.

How responsive is your organisation?
Rob Boucherat & Tom Russell - KPMG delivering on behalf of LSIS

Effective self assessment is vital to ensure that providers can continue to improve, it is also of great importance to organisations wishing to undertake Quality Standards, such as the Training Quality Standard and the Matrix Standard. This workshop will take you through a practical process enabling you to measure your own level of employer responsiveness and give you an insight to how your own organisation compares against the LSIS’s framework to measure and improve employer responsiveness. The LSIS framework is being used by all providers that are undertaking consultancy under the World Class Skills - Developing Responsive Provision programme.

Introduction to the World Class Skills Programme
Jackie Robinson & Sara Caplan - KPMG delivering on behalf of LSIS

This workshop will give delegates a chance to find out more about the LSIS World Class Skills - Developing Responsive Provision programme. World Class Skills offers a range of interactive workshops, seminars, consultancies and thematic projects that will equip providers with the knowledge and support to succeed in the demand-led environment.  All these events are fully subsidised by the LSIS and are designed to support the changes in demand led funding, the rolling out of the Training Quality Standard accreditation, the growth of Train to Gain, the National Skills Academies and the development of specialist networks. The ALP, AoC and 157 Group are key partners to KPMG in delivering this essential programme.

Developing Current Competence Ethically Applied
Ian Gillgrass - The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI)

Retail motor industry workforce development initiatives; Automotive Technician Accreditation; Automotive Manager Accreditation

Developing a Professional Workforce
Lesley Woolley & Sarah Whiteside-Jones - The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI)

Developing professionals to sustain the future of the retail motor industry; Developing young people through Skills Competitions; Accessing innovative motor industry careers information, advice and guidance

ILR Returns and Demand Led Funding
Pete Ashton - The information authority

The three month payment on profile period is almost up and so this could be your last opportunity to clarify any issues that you have with the 2008/09 Individualised Learner Record (ILR). From now on, the amount of Employer Responsive funding paid to providers will reflect their ILR data. The session will give you an overview of how the funding works and provide the opportunity for you to quiz the writers of the ILR specification.

Reducing Bureaucracy and Improving Efficiency
Una Bennett - The information authority

Una will introduce and then lead a discussion on work that the information authority is currently undertaking to reduce bureaucracy. This work should reduce your administration costs, freeing up more resources for learning provision. Issues being discussed in this session will include paperless ILR systems, auditing issues/inconsistencies, ad hoc data requests, and awarding body administration.

City Strategies and Devolution
Damon Gibbons - CESI

The workshop will report on the experience of city strategies in attempting to better co-ordinate employment and skills services at the local level in order to raise performance and improve the use of resources.  The session will also explore the current opportunities for the further devolution of responsibility for employment and skills provision arising from the Work Skills paper and changes to the machinery of government, including the abolition of the LSC from 2010.